AN ACT to amend and reenact §17C-15-19 of the Code of
West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to motor vehicle back-up lamps.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That §17C-15-19 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as
amended, be amended and reenacted to read as follows:

ARTICLE 15. EQUIPMENT.

§17C-15-19. Additional lighting equipment.

(a) Any motor vehicle may be equipped with not more than
two side cowl or fender lamps which shall emit an amber or white light without
glare.

(b) Any motor vehicle may be equipped with not more than
one running board courtesy lamp on each side thereof which shall emit a white
or amber light without glare.

(c) All motor vehicles shall be equipped with a
minimum of at least two functioning back-up lamps either separately or in
combination with other lamps, unless the vehicle was originally equipped with
one lamp. Any such back-up lamp shall not be lighted when the motor vehicle
is in forward motion. School buses used for the transportation of school
children in this state, whether owned and operated by a county board of
education or privately owned and operated under contract with a county Board of
Education, shall be equipped with at least two back-up lamps, one on each side
of the rear door, with white lens or reflectors, capable of lighting the
roadway and objects to the rear of the bus for safe backing during darkness,
and which, at the option of the county board of education, may each provide
fifty candlepower in illumination intensity instead of thirty-two candlepower.

(d) Any vehicle may be equipped with lamps which may be
used for the purpose of warning the operators of other vehicles of the presence
of a vehicular traffic hazard requiring the exercise of unusual care in
approaching, overtaking or passing, and when so equipped may display such
warning in addition to any other warning signals required by this article. The
lamps used to display such warning to the front shall be mounted at the same
level and as widely spaced laterally as practicable and shall display
simultaneously flashing white or amber lights, or any shade of color between white
and amber. The lamps used to display such warning to the rear shall be mounted
at the same level and as widely spaced laterally as practicable, and shall show
simultaneously flashing amber or red lights, or any shade of color between
amber and red.

(e) Vehicles used by "rural mail carriers" in
carrying or delivering mail in rural areas may be equipped with amber flashing
lights. Such lights shall be on the front and rear of the vehicle and may be
activated when the vehicle is stopped or decreasing speed in order to stop in
the course of carrying, delivering or picking up mail along the route.

(f) Vehicles used as the lead car in a funeral procession
are hereby authorized to be equipped with, but are not required to use, purple
lamps or purple flashing lights. Such lamps may be used for the purpose of
warning the operators of other vehicles of the presence of a vehicular traffic
hazard requiring the exercise of unusual care in approaching, overtaking or
passing a funeral procession, and when so equipped may display such warning in
addition to any other warning signals required by this article. The lamps or
flashing lights used to display such warning to the front shall be mounted at
the same level and as widely spaced laterally as practicable and shall display
simultaneously either illuminated or flashing purple lights. The lamps used to
display such warning to the rear shall be mounted at the same level and as
widely spaced laterally as practicable, and shall show simultaneously flashing
or illuminated purple light